Rate My Professor Kim Lersch

Kim Lersch is a Professor of Criminology in the School of Information at the University of South Florida. She holds a Ph.D. and an M.A. from the University of Florida, a B.A. from the University of South Florida, and a Graduate Certificate in Geographic Information Systems from USF. Her academic career centers on integrating geographic information systems (GIS) and spatial data analysis into the study of human behavior, emphasizing the influence of location. As a GIS Analyst on multiple grants and contracts, she applies these tools to explore the geography of behavioral health issues, including involuntary commitments, suicides, opiate overdoses, violent crime, mental health crises, and other social problems. Prof. Lersch teaches undergraduate and graduate courses utilizing GIS software and has published extensively using these methodologies, incorporating Risk Terrain Modeling—a theoretically grounded approach from environmental criminology principles.

Her research investigates the effects of environmental factors, such as the proximity and density of liquor outlets, treatment facilities, and places of worship, on outcomes like suicides, carjackings, and drug overdoses, including analyses in cities such as Detroit, MI. Current projects encompass spatiotemporal analyses of domestic disturbance 911 calls during COVID-19 lockdowns and risk terrain modeling of sexual assaults. Key publications include edited books Geographies of Behavioral Health, Crime and Disorder (2020, with J. Chakraborty), Space, Time, and Crime (2020, fifth edition, with T. Hart and M. Chataway), and Policing and Misconduct (2002), alongside over 50 journal articles, book chapters, and technical reports. Recent articles feature 'COVID-19 and Mental Health: An Examination of 911 Calls for Service' (Policing, 2020), 'Exploring the Geography of Suicide Threats and Suicide Attempts: An Application of Risk Terrain Modeling' (Social Science & Medicine, 2020), 'COVID-19, Violent Crime, and Domestic Violence: An Exploratory Analysis' (International Criminology, 2022), 'An Exploratory Spatiotemporal Analysis of Domestic Disturbance Calls for Service in 2020: The Case of Tampa, Florida, USA' (International Journal of Comparative and Applied Criminal Justice, 2022), and 'Does Routine Activity Theory Still Matter During COVID-19 Restrictions? The Geography of Sexual Assaults Before, During, and After COVID-19 Restrictions' (Journal of Criminal Justice, 2023).